Sometimes You Just Have to Stand Up For Yourself
by CrazyJan57
Summary: Alternate ending for the episode "They Call Her Annie" One Shot. Based on NW Zorro


**SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF**

Disclaimer – I don't own the rights, Zorro Productions Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.

Plot - Alternate ending to the episode "They Call Her Annie".

Sometimes Victoria can be quite nasty to Diego but he always lets her get away with it. Not this time.

One shot.

This also brings up my 20th story posted here :) I never thought I had that many stories in me, I thought maybe 5 but definitely not 20.

* * *

Diego rode with mixed feelings towards the pueblo; on one hand he was pleased that he had found Juanita safe and sound after the girl had been used as a shield by the bank thieves but at the same time he had been startled by the actions of Senorita Annie Smith. He had seen the confused look on her face when he, as Zorro, had brought Juanita back to the pueblo for he knew that she believed him to be part of the gang that robbed the bank and therefore she never imagined that he would bring the girl back voluntarily and unharmed but what he never expected was her sudden and complete change in attitude that she ended up saving his life; especially after her previous strong declarations that she would capture Zorro no matter what.

As he rode out of the pueblo, after handing Juanita to Victoria, he heard de Soto yelling at the Senorita to fire and when he had heard the musket being fired behind him, he had been totally convinced that he would be shot in the back; she had already proved herself to be a crack shot and his back was a rather large target and yet she had missed him by a mile; she had deliberately missed him and in doing so, she saved his life. Which was why he had returned to the pueblo; he had to see for himself the reason for the change of heart from the feisty school teacher and when he pulled Toronado to a halt, she simply smiled and gave him a salute with her fingers to her head. He was stunned by her attitude but he acknowledged her salute with one of his own before he turned and rode out of the plaza once more.

Now, as he rode towards the plaza once more, this time in his caballero clothes, he reflected on the feisty young American woman and how easily she had changed her mind, in regards to Zorro, when she had all the facts and wondered if Victoria would be the same; if she would be as easy to accept the facts just as the senorita had been.

As he neared the outer buildings of the pueblo, he passed the young American senorita and nodded politely to her; after all he, as Diego, had never met her and therefore he could not show any recognition or gratitude for preserving his life without giving his secret away; he didn't know her well enough to know what she would do with that information but he would like to think that she would have kept his secret.

He kept going to the plaza and he smiled when he saw his father standing beside Victoria in front of the tavern. He pulled Esperanza to a halt and dismounted, "Father." he greeted him warmly.

Don Alejandro gazed at his son, "Fine time to take a trip to Santa Paula, Diego. We had a bank robbery, a shooting and a kidnapping." he said as he counted the offences off on his fingers.

Diego frowned slightly, "Is everyone all right?" he asked with the right amount of concern in his voice.

Victoria nodded, "Well, yes. Thanks to you know who." she replied with a smile on her face.

Don Alejandro nodded, "Oh and you missed a chance at meeting a very special young lady."

Diego shrugged, "Well just my luck."

"Oh don't worry, Don Diego, she was too much woman for you anyway." Victoria said.

Diego frowned; just why did she always have to put him down like that, especially where women were concerned? Whatever the reason, he was tired of it, "Just what would you know of the kind of woman I need, Victoria? For all you know she could have been the perfect lady for me." he said heatedly, "You don't know me at all to know what I want in a wife or is it simply that you find the idea of a woman being interested in me so repugnant that you need to say such things." he added before he turned on his heel, reached for the reins of his horse and mounted Esperanza and urged her into a swift canter that had the people scattering to get out of the way.

Victoria felt her cheeks burn as she stared open mouthed at Diego disappearing in the distance; why had she said what she did? It WAS rude of her.

Don Alejandro narrowed his eyes as he watched his son ride away; it wasn't often he saw Diego in a temper and when it did happen, it was awful to see. His son had a way with words that could cut deep when provoked. And provoked he was by Victoria's stinging words.

He glanced at the young woman beside him and his heart went out to her; it was obvious that she had just realised the hurt she had caused his son by her words, "Victoria - "

"I shouldn't have said that, Don Alejandro." she whispered hoarsely, "I had no right to say that. I thought I was being funny but it hurt him." she said as she wrapped her arms around herself.

He sighed as he gently placed his hand on her arm, "Victoria, you and Diego are best of friends and friends do tease each other but in this he is right; although not in the way he spoke to you. Only Diego knows the kind of woman who would attract him; it's not up to you or me to say who would make him a good wife, all we can do is support him in any choice he makes."

She felt tears burning her eyes as she nodded, "I'm sorry."

"It's not me who you should be apologising to." he said quietly.

She nodded again, "I know. Can you please tell Pilar and Alicia to handle the lunch meals today. I need to go and..."

He nodded and squeezed her arm, "I will. Now go after him." he urged her.

* * *

Diego had punished Esperanza into a hard gallop that left them both winded; he knew that he was trying to get her hurtful words out of his system along with his anger and when he pulled up at the hacienda, he regretted taking his temper out on his mare, "I will make it up to you old girl." he said softly as he dismounted and patted her sweaty neck.

She snorted and shook herself as Jose came up to him, "You've ridden her hard, Don Diego." Jose said with disapproval in his voice.

Diego gave him a wry smile as he handed over the reins, "I know. Give her some extra oats and carrots in her feed box. She deserves it." he replied.

Jose nodded as he took the reins, "Si, Don Diego." he replied as he walked Esperanza away towards the corral to cool off before placing her back in her stall.

Diego sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair and entered his home; his anger had all but gone but the hurt remained. As he walked into the library, he wondered why he had let her remark get to him like that; he had always managed to ignore her occasional unpleasant comments because he saw it as a necessary part of the charade that he needed to play in order to keep his identity secret but this time was different. This time it hit home with her comment about the American woman being too much to him. What did she know of his wants, of his needs when she all but ignores him except when he was playing the hero for her. It wasn't the first time she had reacted this way whenever a woman paid attention to him and he was beginning to wonder if there was something more to her comments than just her disapproval of his perceived lack of action.

As he pressed the hidden latch on the fireplace mantle, he heard a knock on the front door and he quickly pressed the latch once more to close the secret panel. He turned around just as Consuela made her way to the front door and opened it, "Senorita Escalante, can I help you?" she asked pleasantly.

"Is Diego here? I need to see him." Victoria pleaded urgently.

Consuela nodded as she stepped back to allow the other woman inside, "Si, he is in the library, Senorita." she replied with a smile.

"Gracias." Victoria replied as she made her way to the library where she saw Diego standing beside the bookshelf with a book in his hand.

"Can I help you Senorita?" Diego said politely as she came to a stop at the entrance of the room.

Victoria heard the polite rebuff in his voice and her shame overcame her once more; she had truly hurt her friend, "I've come to apologise Don Diego. I was rude and horrible to you and I should not have said what I did and I'm sorry." she said as she nervously twisted the material of her skirt with her fingers.

He turned and placed the book back on the shelf in order to give him some time to gather his thoughts and he decided that the time had come to confront her over her belittling remarks. He turned back to face the woman that he had loved for years but right at that precise moment he couldn't even bring himself to like her, "Yes, it was wrong of you but unfortunately it's not the first time you have made disparaging remarks to me in front of others. It has to stop Senorita or it will affect our friendship." he said impassively.

Victoria paled and swayed on her feet; she hadn't realised that it gone so far that it could end their friendship, "I'm sorry, so sorry. I didn't realise what I was doing. I thought I was just teasing, I never thought it could hurt you." she replied, her voice quivered with her emotions.

He ignored the pain that was etched on her face, "I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt me but you did."

She made her way to a nearby chair and sat down, "You never said anything before." she whispered.

"That's true but I'm saying it now," he replied frostily, "It is hurtful to me when you say such things and it's demeaning to you when you say it," he paused to let it sink in, "Let me ask you this Senorita, have I ever said anything like that to you, even in jest?"

She looked down on the floor, hot tears burning her eyes as she shook her head, "Not that I can recall." she whispered.

"Then why do you say such things to me?" he asked.

The tears were now flowing down her face, "I don't know." she whispered hoarsely as she wiped her tears away. She looked up to find that he hadn't moved from his position, "Oh Diego, please, I'm so sorry, I don't know why I said it and all I can say is that I'm sorry and that I never meant to hurt you but please don't let this get between us. I don't want to lose our friendship, please Diego, your friendship means a great deal to me."

Diego gazed intently at Victoria and saw that she was so genuinely horrified and remorseful by what she had done that his anger and pain slowly disappeared but not necessarily forgotten. He let out a long breath, "Our friendship means a great deal to me too Victoria." he said more kindly.

She had a surge of hope rush through her at the change in his tone, "Now that I know what I've been doing, I promise to stop and if you do hear me say anything, you must tell me."

He nodded, "I will." he replied.

Victoria stood up on trembling legs, "I never meant to hurt you Diego. I am sorry." she reaffirmed quietly and sincerely.

He nodded once more, "I know you are," he paused for a moment as he considered her, "Shall we put all this behind us and start over?"

She knew a peace offering when she heard one, "I would like that very much." she replied and this time she would get it right.

He nodded as he stepped over to the pull cord in the corner to summon one of the servants, "Will you stay for lunch?"

She nodded as Consuela appeared in the doorway. "Si, Don Diego?"

"Please arrange for another place at the table, Senorita Escalante will be staying for lunch." Diego said.

Consuela smiled, "Of course Don Diego." she replied before she turned and left them.

Just then the front door opened and Don Alejandro entered his home and as he came to the entrance of the library, he saw them standing uneasily together and he knew instantly that he had interrupted them and he cursed his bad timing but he couldn't leave now; it would be too obvious.

Diego held back a sigh at being interrupted, "Father, you don't mind if Victoria stays for lunch, do you?" he asked.

The older man smiled, "Of course not, Diego. We are all friends here, are we not?" he asked. He watched as his son and the young senorita exchange a glance before Victoria turned to face him with a shy smile, "Yes, we are all friends."

* * *

The End

Hope you all enjoyed this short, non-reveal story :)


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